THEN: This is photograph of then Traffic engineering Commissioner Bowes standing on the corner of Southwest Broadway and Alder Street below a Traffic Safety Commission sign reading "C Sharp or B Flat" on June 30, 1948.

Behind the dashingly dressed Bowes and his companion were several stores that are no longer exist including a bootery and M. Jacoby Jewelers and their wonderful M. Jacoby giant clock tower.

NOW: This is a photograph of a young gentleman eating a slice of pizza on the corner of Southwest Broadway and Alder Street in 2015.

It's the same corner that Commissioner Bowes stood on way back in 1948. Most of the businesses from Bowes time have long disappeared but not the M. Jacoby clock that has stood the test of time and now promotes Kassab Jewelers located at the corner of Southwest Broadway and Alder Street.

New businesses, including a bank, will soon take over the vacant space between Kassab and the very Portland-ish Morgan's Alley.

For many years this particular retail space was home to Jane's Vanity and Flowers by Dorcas.

11

10

"Which high school did you go to?"

We like to size people us based on where they went to high school. We can basically tell everything about someone judged solely on whether they went to Grant, Lincoln or Jesuit. And there are no bad high schools in Portland when it comes to the alumni. School pride is central to being a true Portlander.

9

8

"So, how do you spend your time?"

We basically want to know if you have a real job. Maybe you are embarassed that you work as a telemarketer, but are really into cosplay, or happen to spend a lot of time as an unaccredited expert on the Spanish Civil War. We don’t want you to feel labeled by your job. Many of us define ourselves by our hobbies.

7

"That’s really far, it’s like a 20 minute drive."

If you live far away from us, like more than five miles, we just aren’t going to see you. OK? Our sense of distance is calibrated to 10-minute drives, 30-minute bike rides or 2 hours on a bus. If we have to drive more than 20 minutes, we better be headed to the wilderness.

6

5

“Yeah, I’ll totally be there.”

This often means we'll totally NOT be there. It’s not that we are flaky, but we just don’t like to say no to people to their faces. It would seem so mean to say that we don’t want to go to your show, or art opening, or help you move. Making up an excuse would be too much work. So, you'll figure it out soon enough.

2

1

"No, I’m not Amish. It’s a Parson’s Hat"

We have our own style in Portland: kilts, corsets, top hats. You name it, we’ll wear it. So whether it’s something vaguely Victorian or something slightly lumberjackish, whatever we have on, we're totally comfortable in it.